


Unexpecting

by Spooks_on_Parade



Series: Baby on Board [1]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Comedy with feels, F/M, New Dad Jitters, Not Beta Read, Pregnancy, Wholesome, rated for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-01 08:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21449875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spooks_on_Parade/pseuds/Spooks_on_Parade
Summary: Persephone is expecting and Hades doesn't know what to expect.
Relationships: Hades & Persephone (Hellenistic Religion & Lore), Hades/Persephone, Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: Baby on Board [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577125
Comments: 274
Kudos: 568





	1. Grumbles

"Sweetness. Love of my life. Are you _sure_ you _absolutely need_ shawarma at..." Hades blearily checks his watch, "2:24 am?" 

"Yes," Persephone replied definitively, followed by the low grumble of her belly.

"But you're a vegetarian..." he reminded her, trying to change her mind so he could go back to sleep.

"And the baby wants what the baby wants. And right now the baby wants shawarma. With lamb."

"Do you even know what lamb tastes like?"

"No, but I feel like that's the right thing. I'm sure Baby knows," she smiled sweetly, placing her hands over her barely swollen tummy.

"Baby, who is not even born yet, knows it wants lamb... _Fantastic_..." he grouched as he threw the covers off of himself and huffed his way out of his warm bed. He snatched his phone from the nightstand and stomped into the closet.

"I love you," Persephone called after him with a sugary lilt.

Hades grumbled back.

After getting dressed, and a few minutes of digging on the internet, he managed to find the personal Fatesbook page of the owner of a small Mediterranean style delicatessen. A lucky break that the guy had his number listed on his profile. Without hesitation, he dialed it.

No answer. Not surprising.

He called again.

No answer. Fuck.

He considered dialing a third time, but figured the result would be about the same. _Well, there's more than one way to do this..._

Hades called a different number — one he had on speed dial. It was answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Boss *yaaaawn* what's up?" a groggy, feminine voice rasped.

"I have a job for you..."

* * *

Half an hour later, Hades was stood outside the door of the deli, practically hovering over the grumbling, pajama-clad shop owner who was currently fumbling with the keys.

"I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience, sir," Hades offered, not sounding a bit sorry for the violet satyr. 

More grumbling was the only answer he received.

"You know, if you had just answered your phone when I called I wouldn't have had to get The Furies to retrieve you."

"Did it ever occur to _His Majesty_ that I didn't answer because I wanted to be left _alone?_" the annoyed man finally spoke.

Hades' eyebrows hitched high upon his forehead. Not many were bold enough to address him in such a way and it was lucky for the gruff satyr that he was empathetic to being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night specifically for shawarma. "Apologies, again. But you see, my wife, _your Queen_, is expecting and was in dire need of a particular culinary cuisine that you serve here."

"And it _couldn't wait til mornin'_," the man griped again.

Hades had had enough of the attitude. "Listen, _pal_, if I have to be out here at 3 am for a damn sandwich then so do you."


	2. Smells

"Oh my gods, what is that smell?!" Persephone pinched her wrinkling nose in disgust at some phantom aroma drifting into the office.

"What?" Hades sniffed the air, his wastebasket, his shirt. "I don't smell anything, Sweetheart."

"It's like—" she gagged, "like if someone had a funeral inside a toothpaste factory *hurk* on top of a chemical plant."

He cocked an eyebrow. "That's very–"

He was suddenly cut off by the soft ding of the elevator followed by Thanatos stepping out onto floor.

Hades other eyebrow leapt to join it's twin residing near his hairline. Ah. "New cologne, Thanatos?" He guessed, still unable to smell anything out of the ordinary, but it was the only clue he had to the mystery smell that was tormenting his pregnant wife.

"Yep!" the death god announced proudly as he strutted further into the room. "Just bought it last night. Sixty-four Euros an ounce," he proclaimed, as though it were supposed to impress the God of Wealth.

"How exciting for you," the king deadpanned before glancing back to his queen. "Persephone? Are you alright?" he stood, reaching a hand toward her. "You're looking a bit pale."

Her stomach churned and bubbled like a shaken soda. She had to get out of there. "Exc*guh*use me," she managed, one hand clamped tight over her mouth while the other cradled her frothing gut.

She moved quickly towards the restroom, located not too far beyond where Thanatos stood. As she came closer and closer to the confused God of Death, overwhelmed by the assaulting fragrance and jostling steps, she couldn't hold it back any longer.

Thanatos was completely horrified as the Queen of the Underworld emptied her stomach contents all over his 1800 Euro crocodile skin loafers.

Hades was at her side in an instant and completely uncaring of the ruined shoes. "Thanatos, I will pay you 200 Euro an ounce to never wear that cologne ever again," he told the still reeling god, taking a good whiff as he carefully helped Persephone to the toilet. "You smell like a chemical toothpaste funeral."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was inspired in part by StardustSprinkler and the existence of a men's cologne called Eau de Minthé.
> 
> Also, I used Euros instead of drachma because math, but I may go back and change it at some point.


	3. Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ooped and made it slightly longer. Daalex told me I could.

Hades ran into the living room as though his shoes were on fire. He didn't think he had moved that fast since the "_Tartarus Incident_," as it had come to be known, and all because he'd heard his wife burst into tears.

"Persephone! Sweetness, Sweetheart, what is it?! Are you okay?! Does it hurt?! Are you in pain?!" he asked in a blind string of panic as his hands fluttered over her face and arms and belly and legs — anywhere that may give him some clue as to what was wrong.

She couldn't answer him. She wailed as fat, crystalline tears gushed down her flushed cheeks, dripping from her chin and landing like raindrops on her thick, pajama-covered thighs.

"_Fates_. Sweetness, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," he stressed, scooping her carefully from the sofa and settling her on his lap. He rocked back and forth in slow, hopefully soothing, motions, but slight enough to not trigger her new-found motion sickness. His own voice cracked with emotion as he begged, "Baby, please tell me what's wrong." 

The mention of "baby" brought on another tearful howl as she clung to him. _Oh shit!!_ Was something wrong with the baby?! _Oh no, no, no, no!!_

"Per-Persephone, you're scaring me. I-I-I need you to talk to me, Sweetness."

This time she responded with a pathetic whimper.

"I didn't quite catch that, Love," he encouraged, his own eyes glassy with unspilled tears. He gently brushed her damp bangs from her forehead and rested his lips there.

Eventually her sobs quieted enough for her to speak. "*Sniff* Cuh-Cordon Bleu..." she hiccupped.

Cordon Bleu? Cordon Bleu what? Did he do something?! Oh gods, did something happen to _him?!_ Shit. _Shit!_

"Persephone..."

"He-he-he's just... _so fluffyyy_," she keened as the tears stared up again. 


	4. Kicks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has some fuzzy feels.

Hades was stretched out along one of the sofas in the library, staring up at the ambient, backlit ceiling details. He sighed and squirmed around on the stiff, uncomfortable cushions. He missed his bed — their bed. 

Persephone had kicked him out. Not figuratively — they hadn't argued. She had literally, and unconsciously, slammed her feet so hard against his back that for a moment he thought he might be sharing a bed with a kangaroo. When she did it a second time, and his spine protested with a resounding *crack*, he decided he would like to live long enough to see this tiny creature growing inside his wife and making her certifiably insane, so he retreated to safety.

He was still wide awake at 3 am, when he heard his crazy queen thumping down the hall. What in Tartarus...? He got up and followed her. 

At first he thought she might be looking for him, but that was clearly a silly notion. He wasn't even sure she knew he existed right then, aside from the obvious seed he had planted inside her. Maybe the kitchen? She was always craving weird shit at weird times: spicy pickle and pineapple pizza, chocolate french fries with grape jelly, fucking lamb shawarma at 2 am, the list went on.

Oh, she passed the kitchen... Where was she going?

Hades continued to trail after his waddling wife, watching confusedly as she began shedding her night clothes as she went. He leaned down and picked up her shirt from where she had dropped it, her pants from where she had stepped out of them, and her fuzzy socks from where she had kicked them off. Curiously, she had left her panties on — well, actually they were his boxers, he noticed.

He saw her enter the pool room and decided now was a good time to make himself known, not that he was truly being sneaky. He followed in after her, pushing the door open with his foot, and became worried when he didn't see her.

"Persephone?" he called out, walking closer to the pool's edge. She didn't answer, prompting him to peer over the side. 

Her face was barely sticking out of the water, just enough that she could breathe, and her hair fanned out like a sea creature around her head. 

At first Hades was afraid she wasn't moving, but then noticed her legs kicking slowly below the large swell of her belly. He glanced around for a chair to set their clothes on, stripped off his pajama bottoms, then lowered himself into the pool with her.

"What are you doing out here?" his voice rumbled low as he kicked off the side.

She felt the vibrations of him in the water and opened her eyes before buoying herself up to look at him now floating beside her. "Oh, hey," she whispered, her voice raspy with disuse. She sounded tired.

"Hi," he whispered back. "What are you doing out here?" he repeated, tucking her wet hair behind her ears.

"Baby wouldn't let me sleep. Everything feels so heavy and I just wanted to be weightless for a little while," she explained.

He supposed that made sense. "The baby's keeping you up?" 

She smiled and placed her hands over her swollen stomach, "Baby likes to do backflips in the middle of the night now, apparently... Do you want to feel?" 

Without waiting for his answer, Persephone grabbed his large hand and placed his palm over the globe of her abdomen. At first there was nothing and he huffed disappointedly through his nose. 

"Perhaps Baby doesn't care much for—" his breath wooshed out of his lungs and his heart leapt into his throat as he felt the baby — his baby — kick for the first time.


	5. Fears

Cerberus whined fearfully, his ears flat against his head as he slinked toward his master in the front yard.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Hades asked him, concerned. It was unusual to see his fearsome beast so cowed. "Is something wrong with Mom?" he guessed, that being the only thing he could think of that would upset the Underworld's guardian so. 

The canine crouched low into the grass as a loud crash came from inside the house. 

"Shit!" Hades attention jerked toward the sound before he barrelled past his loyal companion to the front door. 

As soon as he entered their home his ears were assaulted by some of the most venomous, colourful swears he had ever heard in his life. A chorus of whimpers chirped off to his side and he notice the other six dogs all huddled together in a corner, shaking. That was not a good sign. He cautiously eased himself further inside and peeked around the corner, into the kitchen, only to see his Dread Queen in full, glorious form. 

Her long hair billowed about her head like a furious monster, the ends of it snapping through the air like whips; her eyes, fixed firmly on the stove before her, were the deep shade of mortal blood spilled by violence and her voice was resonate with a wrath so pure it made Hades heart pound.

Sweet Gaia, she was beautiful. He was actually a little afraid of how badly he wanted her in that moment, but what in the four realms had happened to upset her so much? And in their kitchen, no less?

He cleared his throat, drawing her attention, before stepping into the doorway. 

As soon as she saw him, she crumpled. Her frightening tendrils fell limp at her sides and her fearsome gaze broke with oncoming tears.

Hades swore again and rushed to her side, throwing his arms around her in a protective cocoon while desperately trying to make sense of the scene.

On the stove was a large saucepan, filled with recently cooked pasta that had been dusted with unnaturally orange "cheese-flavoured" powder and smattered with a shot of milk. Cheap macaroni and cheese was her current craving satisfier, much to his own disgust, but whatever his wife, the mother of his unborn child, wanted she got — even if it was terrible.

Other than the quality of food, he didn't see anything to get so angry about. It hadn't been mixed yet, sure, but that was clearly part of her plan, as there was a spoon set right beside her on the counter.

"Sweetness, what happened?" he finally decided to ask his now sobbing wife. He was afraid of setting her off once more, but didn't know what else to do.

"I'm just sooo maaad," she cried, not giving him anything to work with.

He sighed quietly. "Why are you mad" he tried again, his tone soft and understanding.

"Becaaause... I was so hungry and-and-and I wanted mac n cheeeese..."

"Okay..."

"WE'RE OUT OF BUTTERRR!!" she wailed, frustrated.

Oh... Oh, for fucks sake.

"Persephone, dearest, don't you think you're being a bit silly? We can get more bu-"

He realized, much too late, his mistake as her fingers gripped his shirt and terrifying, sanguine eyes cut to his. He gulpped in fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was, once again, inspired by my stomach. I was making cheap mac n cheese for dinner.


	6. Feet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made myself cry. Lol.

"Oh! Look at this one, Hades! Isn't it adorable? It has little bunny feet!" Persephone gushed over the onesie in the baby catalog, turning it so that he could see the image from his position on the floor.

"Uhm, yes, it's... cute..." he replied with a forced smile, not really caring for the plush bunny faces, complete with floppy ears, staring back at him from some strange infant's toes. 

He tried at first — he really did. In fact, he was even excited to do the clothes shopping thing with her in the beginning, but now they already had enough baby clothes to stock a shopping mall and he was over it. Knowing what he did about babies, having been an uncle several times over, the kid would mostly likely run around naked most of the time anyway.

"You could at least pretend..." Persephone huffed, flipping the catalog back around to continue her perusing with much less enthusiasm than before.

He sighed. She was just excited and here he was ruining it. "I'm sorry, Sweetness. You're right," he agreed, placing a kiss to the top of her swollen foot before resuming his delicate task of massaging her sore ankles. "I've just had a lot on my mind."

He was excited — really, he was — but he was also tired and growing increasingly nervous as their projected due date grew closer. What if he was a bad father? He certainly hadn't had a great source of reference. He could at least be sure he wouldn't swallow his child... But not devouring your baby doesn't necessarily mean you'll be good at raising it. He reached over to the cocktail table and grabbed the nail polish his queen had selected, giving it a few shakes. 

"Do you still think I'm attractive?" Persephone asked suddenly, looking right into his eyes.

Hades froze, nail polish dripping onto the floor from the brush tip. Where had that even come from? "Of-of course! Sweetness, you're beautiful! More than!" he told her, setting the small bottle of paint aside. He pushed himself up onto his knees and settled himself between her legs, as close as he could get to her without squishing her very pregnant belly.

Her eyes were watery, he noticed. Oh no! What had he done now? Was this because he wasn't excited about the bunny suit? Damn him and damn that catalog. "Wh-what made you think– My love, I will buy you a billion bunny outfits! In every size–" 

"No, it's just..." she sniffled, cutting him off, and lowered her eyes. "You... *sniff* you haven't seemed very interested... in me or the baby lately and I just..."

"Oh, no-no-no, Sweetheart. Persephone," he braced his hands on the sofa lifted himself up higher so that he could kiss her. It was his fault that she felt like this. How could he let her believe that? "I'm so, so sorry," he kissed her again and rested his forehead against hers. "Baby, it's not that at all."

"So *sniff* you still want us?"

"Every second! ... Θεοί, είμαι ηλίθιος... I'm just..." he pulled back and looked at her. "I'm... I'm scared..." he admitted as he watched a single tear slip down her cheek. His heart broke.

"Scared? But why?" she asked, wiping away the wet trail with the heel of her hand. "I thought you were happy?" she sniffed again.

Ohhh nooo.... "Sweetness, I am so, so happy," he took her hand in his and placed a loving kiss to her palm as he cradled it to his cheek. "... but... what if I... what if I mess up? What if I'm not good enough?" He watched her with pleading eyes, willing her to understand.

"Hades..." she sniffed again as she cupped her other hand to his face, "you're going to mess up—"

His eyes became frightened and unbelieving that she, of all people, would ever say that to him.

"— but that's ok. I'm going to mess up too... This is our first time and, even if it wasn't, we would still mess up and it would still be okay. Babies don't come with a manual," she smiled wetly, a few more tears falling from her eyes. "You're going to be a wonderful daddy."

"... How-how do you know?"

"Just look at you! Here I was worried that you didn't care, but you care so much you're crying," Persephone said as she swept his teardrops away with her thumbs.

It was true, he did care. Maybe not about footie-pajamas, but he cared a lot about the other stuff.

"And you care enough to paint my toes for me because I can't reach them anymore," she giggled, sniffing again as she wiggled her feet against his thighs. "... I never had a father – Mama made me on her own – but I'm so glad I'm getting to do this with you. I couldn't imagine a better man to love our baby, Hades." She tried leaning forward to kiss him, but she couldn't, her belly was in the way.

Hades sniffled too and levered himself up to her again with a wet chuckle. Their lips met, soft and sweet, before they both received a kick to the stomach.

"Looks like someone else agrees with me," Persephone grinned as they parted.

"Or maybe someone wants me to get away from Mama," he joked, easing back onto his knees. "Hey, you," he said to the tiny being pushing it's feet against the walls of it's prison, "I don't mind sharing her with you, but I was here first." 

Running his hands over her stomach, he lifted the hem of her t-shirt so that he could watch the baby's movements inside her. He could feel himself smiling even as more tears slide down his face. He couldn't help it. Most of his existence dealt with death, it was beyond amazing to see himself create life, and with a woman so incredible as his queen. How he came to be so lucky, he would never understand.

Hades wrapped his arms around his beautiful wife and rested his cheek against her belly where it was instantly connected with a tiny foot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Θεοί, είμαι ηλίθιος - gods, I'm an idiot


	7. Screws

"You know, we could just have Hephaestus build a crib," Persephone claimed from the doorway.

"And what kind of dad would I be if I couldn't even give my child a place the sleep? I can do this!" Hades growled in frustration. "I just... seem to have misplaced the... the thing..."

"The screwdriver?"

"No!... Yes! I just had it a second ago!"

Persephone sighed and waddled across the room they'd converted into a nursery until she reached the agitated god sitting on the floor. She couldn't bend down without help, but, by bracing herself on his shoulder, she managed to nudge her foot under the wing of her husband's folded leg and knocked the missing tool out from under him.

He looked up at her and muttered a sheepish "thank you" before returning to his task of assembly.

"Just think," she insisted, "if we commissioned it from him he could make it rock the baby back to sleep without us even having to wake up! ... I think that part is upside down."

Hades stopped. He looked at the crib wall he had just screwed into place. He looked at the instructions, then back to the crib again. His face screwed up into a scowl and he addressed his ever-helpful wife, "Aren't you supposed to be on bed-rest, my love?"

She huffed. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am. But I'm tired of just being a lump. My back hurts and my legs hurt and can't get comfortable no matter what I do. My boobs are sore, my hips ache, and I just want this baby out of me!" she griped with increasing volume.

Sympathy melted over his furrowed features as he listened to Persephone's rant. He knew how difficult it had been for her lately. "I'm sorry," he offered, not really knowing what he could do to help. Well, there had been a few different suggestions from the doctor — one in particular he had been most interested in, but he was so... and she was so... and, no, there was no way he would even risk possibly hurting her further, no matter how pent up they both were.

He continued undoing all the work he had just done and flipped the crib wall so that it was now right side up, then screwed it back into place. He was just about to move on to the next side when her heard, "I think that part is supposed to be facing the inside."

What? He looked, checked the image in the poorly written manual, and looked again. Dammit. He breathed in deep through his nose as his head lolled back. His lips quirked into a tight, thin line as he, once again, removed all the screws he had just tightened.

"Do you want me leave you alone?" she offered, almost sounding pleased with herself.

"No, Sweetness, I love having you around," Hades strained through clenched teeth.

"Oh good," Persephone smiled. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No-no. I've got this," he assured her before grumbling to himself about how he carved out the foundation of the entire Underworld with his own two hands and by the Fates he could assemble a fucking baby bed on his own.

He finally had the stupid wall flipped and turned the correct way, triple checking the directions before screwing it down again. He moved on to the next wall, making sure it was facing all the right ways before securing it as well. 

It wouldn't slot into place. Sonofabitch.

Trying to play if off as coolly as possible, he searched for what might be causing the issue. After a thorough inspection, and a few sneaky glances to his watchful wife, he realized that he couldn't fit the other walls into place if the first one was too tight. Fuck. 

"Hades? Is something wrong?"

"Nope!" He unscrewed the first wall again, under Persephone's curious scrutiny, her lips twisted up into a cat-like grin.

* * *

Four hours. That's how long it took him to put this tiny, piece-of-shit baby crib together. And he had all these extra parts, too! Fan-fucking-tastic!

Persephone had already gone to lie back down hours ago, leaving Hades alone to glower at his handiwork. He hated looking at it now — this stupid piece of furniture. No way was he going to trust it to hold his baby.

He chewed his lip and looked to the window with an arched brow, then glanced behind himself into empty hallway. Screw it. Without another thought, he slid open the window and chucked the wobbly bed outside.

* * *

"So, I have some news..." Hades started as he sauntered into the master bedroom, waking Persephone from her nap. "Hephaestus says he'll be able to get a crib to us in about three days... Until then," his voice lowered suggestively as he crawled onto the bed, "how badly are you wanting to try to move up that due date?"


	8. Holds

"And you're absolutely, positively sure you want to have the birth at home?" Hades asked again, holding the door for her as they exited the hospital.

"Definitely sure," Persephone answered, stepping beside him once she passed the threshold.

"It's just that—"

"Hades, you know how I feel about it. We've already come this far, I'm not changing my mind now," she told him as they fell into step together and walked toward the car. "Besides, Eileithyia said she doesn't mind coming to the Underworld."

He sighed, keeping his pace slow for her. "I know."

"Hey," she took his hand and looked up at him, "it's gonna be okay. She's been doing home-births way longer than she's been doing them in a hospital!"

He squeezed her hand gently and offered her a subdued smile as they crossed the parking lot. "I just worry. If anything happened to you, or the baby, I couldn't—"

"Nothing will happen! I create life all the time — you've said it yourself. I was made for this!" She boasted, using her other arm to hold her round belly.

She was right, of course, but still... "Persephone, you know I have every ounce of faith in you that I possibly can..."

"But?"

"But what you're wanting... The way you want to do this... It's not..." he sighed again, "I just wish you would reconsider." He knew the worry was evident on his face and in his voice as fear took hold of his mind, forcing him to imagine every bad scenario he could think of, in vivid detail, until they finally reached the car. 

"Hades, look at me," she commanded, turning to face him.

He did as she told.

"Now give me your other hand—"

He did. 

"—and just hold us for a minute," she said, wrapping herself up in his arms as she maneuvered herself as best she could to fit completely against him.

Hades held her there, in the middle of the hospital parking lot, for what seemed like several hours and mere seconds at the same time, just feeling her and their baby.

"Nothing bad will happen. Okay?" She spoke softly, reassuringly, and lifted her hand in front of his face. "Here."

He opened his eyes slowly and saw that she held a tiny flower between her fingertips. A pomelia. Watery tears stung his eyes as he carefully took it from her with a deflating sigh of acceptance. He stared at it for a moment before bending down and dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you."

"I know," she smiled. "I love you, too, ya big worrywart. Let's go home, okay? I'll make you a baklava," Persephone promised as she eased out of her husband's embrace and waddled toward her side of the car.

He wiped the tears from his eyes and chuckled as he quickly leapt passed her to slide between his car and the one parked beside them on the passenger side. "The only thing you're doing when we get home is going to bed. You've already been on your feet too much today."

"Hadees~," she whined.

"Sorry, Sweetness," he said, popping her door open for her in the narrow space, "but doctor's orders."

"No, Hades. Help me?" Persephone pleaded from where she stood between the vehicles, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she chewed her bottom lip.

"Hm? What's wrong, Sweetness?" 

"I... um... I'm stuck."


	9. Screams

Ear-piercing screams sliced through him as he staggered back and forth across the floor, tearing at his hair. He should be in there—

Another jagged wail cut through the air.

— he _had_ been in there! 

His heart hammered behind his ribcage as the fear and anxiety ripped at his chest with razor-sharp claws. 

He shouldn't have freaked out.

Eileithyia was just doing her job.

> "Hades, I know you don't like it, but it's her decision to do it this way and if you don't calm the fuck down I'm going to kick you out!"

He snarled at the memory as his wife's painful screeching stabbed at his mind, the blackness seeping further into his skin. He should have never agreed to this — should have made a stronger case... She was too compassionate for her own good.

"Hey," a solid green hand clapped down of his shoulder. "She'll be fine, bro!" Poseidon assured him flippantly, steering him away from the gaping maw of the hallway and towards the chatter of his family and friends that had gathered for the birth.

"Of course she will. Her mother and Eileithyia are with her. Persephone is in good hands," Hera sipped from her gin and tonic. "Come sit and have a drink with us while we wait," she chirped before turning back to her conversation with Amphitrite, Hestia, and Athena.

Artemis and Eros engaged in discussions about archery, while Hermes munched on the snacks that Demeter and Persephone had insisted on before everything got started. Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Ares had shown up together with gifts, but not long after the Goddess of Beauty and the God of War had seemingly disappeared — the others had a feeling that Hephaestus either hadn't noticed or simply didn't care. A few of his wife's friends from her college days had shown up, too, and we're playing cards on the floor. 

They all made this seem so trivial. Like they were waiting for a godsdamn movie to start. It pissed him off. "I—"

"Can I say something controversial?"

"No," someone interjected.

Zeus continued anyway, "I think little Pinky in there is being incredibly selfish—"

The chit-chat around the room quietened as every guest's attention was suddenly focused in on the King of the Gods, their ears perked discreetly as they continued to feign interest it their own distractions.

"— there is absolutely no reason for her to be putting you or anyone else through this whole... unpleasantness—"

"Zeus..." Hera attempted to shush him as another agonized shriek split the air.

"— And for what purpose? Just because she wants to have empathy for the mortals?" he snorted, "It's completely ridiculous! Why can't she just have the baby like any other goddess? No muss, no fuss. Easy peasy. Brother, the fact that you even allowed her to—"

"Get out," Hades growled, his eyes flashing. Everyone froze, their gazes fixed on the menacing, endlessly black form that stood before them. He was all darkness and jagged teeth and burning rage.

"GET OUT!" Hades roared this time, prompting every god and creature present to abandon their glasses and seats with an echo of tinkling ice cubes and grumbled murmers as they shuffled toward the door.

Hecate remained, quietly sipping a coffee in the corner as the room cleared out. For the moment, she didn't say a word and neither did Hades as he flopped onto the chair closest to her and buried his face in his still darkened hands.

She didn't speak either when his shoulders started to quake as the pained screaming continued to fill the otherwise stagnant space.

"What if something happens..." He finally squeaked, his voice wet with despair.

The calm and collected goddess sighed then and set her cup down on a stone coaster with a click. "Something will happen," she started, placing her hand gently on Hades shoulder, "you're going to have a baby soon. Persephone is fighting a battle right now, and I know it hurts, but you need to pull yourself together and be strong for her. Support her. The two of you have started a family..."

"Hades..." Eileithyia called for him from the hallway. His heart stopped in his chest when he saw the blood on her arms and scrubs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I headcanon that since Goddesses can change their form and size childbirth is actually pretty easy for them.


	10. Hellos

Everything was quiet now as Hades wobbled and swayed into a standing position, Hecate steadying him with a hand on his back. Was it supposed to be this quiet? He couldn't hear anything at all over the blood rushing between his ears. He gulped and took a shaky step towards Eileithyia, certain he would pass out before he got there.

"Hhhhh-" he weezed, unable to get his vocal chords to work.

The Goddess of Childbirth watched him with an unreadable expression as he approached before turning and leading him down the hallway to the master bedroom. "I'm sorry," she started, "the room is a bit of a mess. Blood everywhere — we tried to clean it up as much as possible."

He stopped dead in his tracks. Blood? Like it wasn't a big deal? Hades almost throttled her then, his niece or not. He knew she was doing this to him on purpose! "What about my —"

"Why don't you go in and see for yourself," she suggested, cutting him off.

He glared at her, temper barely contained only by the fact that it seemed his wife and child were fine. 

His child... HIS CHILD!!

Hades moved past her, practically knocking her aside as he ran for the bedroom door. As soon as he reached it he found Demeter blocking his path. _Fucking fires of Tartarus_, if he had to physically move her out of his way he would.

"Go easy," is all she said to him, "they've both been through a lot." And she stepped aside, allowing him into the room as she took her leave to give them some privacy — no doubt at Persephone's request.

His eyes fell to her just as soon as he was inside. She was sweaty and matted and flushed and sticky and practically foaming at the mouth from exertion and she was the most beautiful, divine being he had ever seen in all his years.

"Hey, you," she rasped upon seeing him, her voice completely raw, as he hurried to her side.

He trembled as he stood there, not knowing what he was allowed to do. He wanted to grab her up in his arms and never let go, cover her with kisses everywhere he could reach, and just bawl like a baby at the relief he felt. 

Baby! He had a baby! ... Where was...

"Persephone—?"

"Hades," she whispered, pulling back the covers from her chest, "come some say hello to your daughter." She took one of his hands in hers and cradled it under the tiny being she held against her. "Baby girl, this is your daddy," she cooed to the little resting bundle.

A daughter...

Tears stung his eyes and his legs gave out from under him, sending him to his knees on the cold floor. His muscles refused to work and his lungs wouldn't draw breath as he felt himself crying. He felt so weak.

He was a daddy...

He sobbed, the flood of indescribable emotions tugging his lips into a forced smile that he couldn't stop even if he'd had the energy to try. 

"Come up here and meet her properly," Persephone commanded gently.

He didn't know how, but his body responded to her will as always, lifting himself up and settling beside her on the mattress. "She's beautiful," he croaked, taking in the unique black and white patterns of her skin as his wife passed their newborn into his arms. _And so tiny._ He could cradle her in one hand.

Persephone settled against his side, completely exhausted and beyond happy to have him back with her after their ordeal. "Have you thought of any names, baba?"

He choked on another watery laugh and sniffled, never taking his eyes off of his little girl as he brushed one finger slowly over her powder soft skin. He thought back over his entire life just then — the loneliness and hopelessness, the bad decisions and desperation, the centuries of nightmares, then meeting Persephone and how quickly things began to change for him. 

He still had some issues — some things that may never truly leave him — but he wasn't alone anymore. She had given him a love he never knew he needed, made his cold house into a warm home, and now she had given him something even more... She gave him a child, his baby, their family. 

There was only one word that truly stuck out in his mind. A word that condensed every feeling he had down into a simple notion that felt like so much and not enough at the same time —

"Μακαρία."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Μακαρία - Macaria - blessed
> 
> I chose to use "blood" instead of "ichor" because of the punch it packs. 
> 
> Also, in case anyone was wondering, the doggos are at daycare.


End file.
